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  1. Math

    Poe’s Secret

    Writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) is famous for his short stories of the mysterious and the macabre. His popular tale “The Gold-Bug,” published in 1843, is often cited as one of the best works of fiction that turn upon a secret message. Poe had a longstanding interest in cryptology. When he became editor of Graham’s […]

    By Ivars Peterson
  2. Math

    Mathematical Art on Display

    The term “mathematical art” usually conjures up just one name–that of Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher (1898–1972). Many people are familiar with Escher’s endless staircases, hyperbolic tilings, Möbius ants, intricate tessellations, and other creations. They may also be aware of the intertwining of mathematics and art during the Renaissance, with the development of perspective […]

    By Ivars Peterson
  3. Math

    Dots and Boxes

    The familiar pencil-and-paper game of Dots-and-Boxes sounds exceedingly simple.